Upholstered chair with adjustable seat and back supports

ABSTRACT

An upholstered chair with a tubular frame includes a tubular leg-supporting segment mounted to a base and a tubular seat frame pivotally coupled to the leg-supporting segment rearwardly of its coupling to the base. The seat frame extends rearwardly and upwardly and a length adjustable member is pivotally coupled at one end to the base and at an opposite end to the upper portion of the seat frame for tiltably adjusting the seat and back of the chair. The tubular frame is spanned by an elastic material and filled with an elastic material. An upholstery covering and filling material surrounds the frame structure so formed.

United States Patent [191 Braeuning 1 Sept. 2, 1975 UPI-IOLSTERED CHAIRWITH ADJUSTABLE SEAT AND BACK SUPPORTS [75] Inventor: Egon F. Braeuning,Haltingen,

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Apr. 9, 1973 Switzerland ll945/73[52] U.SL Cl. 297/328; 297/355; 297/377 [51] Int. CL". A47C 1/02 [58]Field of Search 297/285288, 297/311, 313, 320, 323, 325, 327, 328, 361,377, 455, 456

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,7l3,890 7/l955 Mack297/377 X 3,150,898 9/l964 Knudson 297/36l X 3,7l2,666 l/l973 Stoll297/3l3 X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,903,731 8/1970 Germany n297/455 Primary Examiner-James C. Mitchell Attorney, Agent, orFirmPrice, I-Ieneveld, Huizenga & Cooper 5 7 ABSTRACT An upholsteredchair with a tubular frame includes a tubular leg-supporting segmentmounted to a base and a tubular seat frame pivotally coupled to thelegsupporting segment rearwardly of its coupling to the base. The seatframe extends rearwardly and upwardly and a length adjustable member ispivotally coupled at one end to the base and at an opposite end to theupper portion of the seat frame for tiltably adjusting the seat and backof the chair. The tubular frame is spanned by an elastic material andfilled with an elastic material. An upholstery covering and fillingmaterial surrounds the frame structure so formed.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PATENTED 2 I975 sumlufz PATENTED SEP 2 I975sumanrz UPHOLSTERED CHAIR WITH ADJUSTABLE SEAT AND BACK SUPPORTSBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a chair withadjustable seat and back supports and with a frame made of steel tubing.

It is known to construct a framework of this kind which retains theupholstery over its entire surface. This necessitates employment oflateral supports which must be so dimensioned as to correspond to thethickness of the upholstery and the permissible depression of certainupholstery parts. This has resulted in relatively massive seat andbackrest units which do not conform to modern furniture styles. Thepurpose of the present invention is to provide a chair of the typementioned above in which the upholstery is suspended practicallyself-contained between the segments of the framework, the latter beingmutually adjustable for the purpose of varying the angle of thebackrest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The chair of the invention is characterized bythe fact that the seat portion has a supporting framework composed oftwo segments which are tiltable with respect to each other and joined byhinge means in the two side segments of the supporting framework. Theupholstery of the seat portion is retained on one of the side segmentsof the supporting framework, over whose entire length there is elastictension. The frame segment corresponding to the upper leg support issecurely attached to the seat frame while the segment corresponding tothe seat and back support is connected to the seat frame by pivotal andlength variable means.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side view of the chairshowing two extreme positions of the seat and back supports;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat frame for the chair of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the supporting frame of the seat portionof the chair of FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view partly in cross section showingthe connection between the upper leg support and the scat frame.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. 1 a seat frameor base 1 is made of steel tubing, in which a seat portion 2 is mountedor suspended. This seat portion consists essentially of an upper legunit 3 which extends from the left end of the structure to the region ofthe tilting point 4, a seating unit 5 which begins to the right oftilting point 4 and extends to the lower end of the back unit 6, and aheadrest 7 on the upper end of the back unit 6. The segment of seat 2containing the seating, backand headrest units is held at a certainheight by a supporting device 8 adjustable as to its length, and ispivoted as a whole about point 4. The supporting device 8 is preferablya member positioned between the rearward segment of the seat frame 1 andthe transition zone backand headrest units 6, 7 with a controllengthwise adjustable, not in stages whose actuating means is relativelyeasy to operate within the arms length of the user. Device 8 can. for

example, be a pneumatic cylinder coupled to a pressurized source of airand valve means (not shown) to adjust the position of the chair back.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the seat frame 1 shown in FIG. 1. Asmentioned above, this frame is made of steel tubing and is composed ofone or more parts. The two practically circular vertical loop members 11are also tubular. Members 11 are located generally inside the baseframework and include elbows 12 for supporting the seat 2 in the regionof the upper segment 3. The rear segment 13 of the piping joining thetwo sides has a pivot coupling 14 pivotally coupling the lower end ofsupporting member 8 to frame 1. Details of the connection between theseat frame 1 and the supporting frame of the seat are shown in FIG. 4. i

The supporting framework for the seat portion, designated generally by15, consists of twoside pieces l6, 17 (FIG. 3), which preferably aremade of steel tubing, each having a hinged segment 18, 19 which makepossible the tilting of the back portion with respect to the upper legunit 3. Hinges 18, 19 are located at the pivot point 4 and areconventional pivot members permitting pivoting of members 16 and 17 withrespect to mem bers 16' and17' respectively. The .two side pieces l6, 17are connected by cross pieces 20, 21 and 22 and secured toa bent frame.The segmentslfiand 17' at the front of the side pieces l6, 17 areprovided with couplings 23 and 24, respectively, for example, in theform of stud bearings which cooperate with the side pieces or elbows 12on the seat frame. The cross piece 22 in the region of the top ends ofthe side pieces has a pivot coupling 25 pivotally coupling the upper endof support 8 to member 22.

In FIG. 4, l1 designates a section of the tube 11, shown entirely inFIG. 2 as the frame 1 0f the seat, and 12 designates in this figure theseat supporting means. In the above case, the latter consists of an arm31 and an angle piece 32 with a centering lug 33. The number 34designates a part of the upholstering of seat 2, and 16 is the similarlydesignated front part of a side member of the seat-supporting frame.Connected to the front part 16 is a pivot bearing 35 whose bore 36serves to receive the centering lug 33. The seat portion 2 is,therefore, in one piece by means of the supporting section 12 and thecouplings 23, 24 and, on the other hand, is joined by the device 8 andthe couplings 12 and 14 in such a manner as to be variable with respectto the seating frame.

From FIG. 4 may be seen also the general arrangement of the upholsteryon the seat of a chair of the present invention. The number 38designates an elastic covering which as shown is applied to the sidepieces 16, 17 (FIG. 3). This material is preferably of a rubber band orrubber cord fabric which had been formed into a hose or tubing andpulled over the entire length of the side pieces 16, 17. At the placeswhere coupling means extend outwardly, there are openings in the carriercovering without, however, weakening the covering itself. In order toprevent the covering from becoming too weak, the interspace 39 is filledwith an elastic material. Over the carrier covering 38 there is acovering of foam material 40 which consists of shaped foam in which thefoam material can be eliminated at any point.

The upholstery covering 41, 42 forms the outer seal of the upholstery.It can be the same material above and below or the two can be ofdifferent materials. The coverings of the upper and lower sides arejoined to one another at the side of the seat by means of a closure 43such as a zipper.

By means of the frame structure 15, as described in FIG. 3, and thearrangement of the upholstery, especially the covering 38, a chair canbe made which will meet modern demands. When the seating surface issubjected to a load by the user, there is never a sharp ridge or breakat the tilting point 4, as shown in FIG. 1, but there is a tiltingcorresponding to the contour of the body so that at all positions of theseat, backrest and headrest, there is a shortening or lengthening of thesupporting structure 8 to correspond to the contour of the body.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property orprivilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A chair comprising:

a base including support means extending upwardly from opposite sidesthereof;

a frame including a frontal portion and a rearward portion, said frontalportion defining the front part of a seat and mounted to said supportmeans; a rearwardly and upwardly extending frame member forming saidrearward portion and defining a backrest and the rearward part of a seatsaid rearward portion being pivotally coupled to said frontal portion;

an extensible and collapsible link pivotally coupled at one end to saidbase and at the'opposite end to said rearward portion near the top ofsaid backrest to permit tilting adjustment of the chair by pivoting therear part of said seat and said backrest as a unit about its pivotalconnection to said front part of said seat; and

upholstery means covering said frame.

2. A chair having a seat and a back, said back being integral with therear of said seat, a base for said chair, the improvement in said chaircomprising: said seat having a rigid frame hingedly jointed at a pointsubstantially removed from the front thereof dividing said seat into aforward portion and rear portion a backrest rigidly attached to saidrear portion of said seat and extending upwardly therefrom; said rearportion of said seat and said backrest being pivotal as a unit about therear of the forward portion of said seat; said forward portion of saidseat being rigidly secured to said base; means adjustably supportingsaid rear portion of said seat and said backrest.

3. The chair described in claim 2 wherein the entire frame of said seatand said backrest are encased in a single continuous tube-like cover andfoam body.

4. A chair as described in claim 2 wherein said base has a frame. saidframe having a generally U-shaped rearward portion and a generallyU-shaped forward portion and an upstanding loop on each side between andjoining said forward and rearward portions and integral with both saidforward and rearward portions; said juncture between said forward seatportion and said base being located on said loop.

1. A chair comprising: a base including support means extending upwardlyfrom opposite sides thereof; a frame including a frontal portion and arearward portion, said frontal portion defining the front part of a seatand mounted to said support means; a rearwardly and upwardly extendingframe member forming said rearward portion and defining a backrest andthe rearward part of a seat said rearward portion being pivotallycoupled to said frontal portion; an extensible and collapsible linkpivotally coupled at one end to said base and at the opposite end tosaid rearward portion near the top of said backrest to permit tiltingadjustment of the chair by pivoting the rear part of said seat and saidbackrest as a unit about its pivotal connection to said front part ofsaid seat; and upholstery means covering said frame.
 2. A chair having aseat and a back, said back being integral with the rear of said seat, abase for said chair, the improvement in said chair comprising: said seathaving a rigid frame hingedly jointed at a point substantially removedfrom the front thereof dividing said seat into a forward portion andrear portion a backrest rigidly attached to said rear portion of saidseat and extending upwardly therefrom; said rear portion of said seatand said backrest being pivotal as a unit about the rear of the forwardportion of said seat; said forward portion of said seat being rigidlysecured to said base; means adjustably supporting said rear portion ofsaid seat and said backrest.
 3. The chair described in claim 2 whereinthe entire frame of said seat and said backrest are encased in a singlecontinuous tube-like cover and foam body.
 4. A chair as described inclaim 2 wherein said base has a frame, said frame having a generallyU-shaped rearward portion and a generally U-shaped forward portion andan upstanding loop on each side between and joining said forward andrearward portions and integral with both said forward and rearwardportions; said juncture between said forward seat portion and said basebeing located on said loop.